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Online Discussion: Tracking new emerging diseases and the next pandemic |
COMMUNICATION ISSUES |
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Rocky ![]() V.I.P. Member ![]() ![]() Joined: January 07 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 219 |
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Hi Angel, there are many inexpensive handcrank/solar/battery radios that
will provide you with information even if the the power and phone are out. AM/FM, also shortwave (more expensive). In addition, we are connecting to a trusted neighbor with a 12 mile radius walkie talkie. Take a look at some of your options...our company and our personal concern ![]() http://www.homeemergencyusa.com/Radios-and- Flashlights_1_category.html (copy & paste) Please don't flame me, this is not an advertisement. We had provided information about homeemergencyusa.com in the forum where you could find commecial site information. That seems to have disappeared. We want to help our forum friends any way we can. We provide very personal service (family company) and we have the stock. ![]() arounds or delays. Hope this is helpful. Rocky
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I just wanted to mention what's probably obvious - make sure at least one of the phones in your house is a corded phone. Cordless phones are nice but they won't work if the power goes out.
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Siameselade ![]() Advisor Group ![]() ![]() Joined: March 22 2006 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 414 |
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Yes, that's a really good point, I would think that we'd have phone service for a while. I hope so, I am also hoping for Internet to stay on for awhile to, we have cable, our daughters have Sat. So I hope at least to be able to communicate
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Siam
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Trident/Delta ![]() Senior Advisor Group ![]() ![]() Joined: March 15 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 344 |
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Couple quick things - The morse code requirement for hams is no longer in effect. Just a written test on radio theory, electronic principals and station safety.
I am a General class Ham. I still use morse because it is much more reliable than voice. I guess that I have been appointed the un-official-official radio geek. If you have any questions feel free to ask
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maskman ![]() Valued Member ![]() ![]() Joined: March 24 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 71 |
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simple,question here, and i don't have time to go thru all the excellent posts right now
i need a receiver - all i want to do is listen.
maximum flexibility, but my focus is local
if things start to happen, i am in an excellent position to monitor local events
my understanding is that any type of receiver is legal - it is the transmitting that you need a liscense for, correct?
regardless, i don't really care about legal issues. by the time i turn this baby on, legal issues won't really matter any more.
i hope i never use it, but my guess is i can find one locally or on ebay
i just need to know what to look for, and how much i should pay.
if something happens, even just a car crash, i will hear the sirens, and i'd love to be able to flip a switch and listen in. i am not a tech geek, so this needs to be an off-the-shelf unit
of course i'll keep you posted, once i hear anything
thanks in advance!
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hope and pray for the best; prepare responsibly for the worst
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Has anybody discussed how to make communications SECURE yet? If the world really gets unsafe, the last thing I need is for the rest of the world to listen in while I talk to others.
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Trident/Delta ![]() Senior Advisor Group ![]() ![]() Joined: March 15 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 344 |
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QUOTE=maskman]simple,question here, and i don't have time to go thru all the excellent posts right now
i need a receiver - all i want to do is listen.
maximum flexibility, but my focus is local
if things start to happen, i am in an excellent position to monitor local events
my understanding is that any type of receiver is legal - it is the transmitting that you need a liscense for, correct?
regardless, i don't really care about legal issues. by the time i turn this baby on, legal issues won't really matter any more.
i hope i never use it, but my guess is i can find one locally or on ebay
i just need to know what to look for, and how much i should pay.
if something happens, even just a car crash, i will hear the sirens, and i'd love to be able to flip a switch and listen in. i am not a tech geek, so this needs to be an off-the-shelf unit
of course i'll keep you posted, once i hear anything
thanks in advance!
Here is a 2-fer.
First maskman. You are correct that you are not in violation if you do not transmit. You can get a good multi-band receiver for about $200.00. But, that being said, i would consider investing in good used HF ham rig. 'bout $100 more, but you have the ability to transmit if you need it.
For Bumpman:
ComSec (Communications Security) will be a major issue going forward. It is presumed that you would be having comms with someone that you know. If that is the case, you need to develop a series of "brevity codes" that on the surface have no meaning except for those that need to receive them (kinda like 10-4 meaning "roger") The military utilized a brevity code that was referred to as "Q and Z" signals. For instance, QBF means flying in a cloud. So, if I stated that "I am QBF" it is obvious. If asked as a question, it would be "Are you QBF?" THe ham community has quite a universal collection of Q codes. "Z" codes are specific to the US military.
Back in my "survivalist" days, there was an organization called NITRO which stood for "National Independently Trained Radio Operators" They composed a CEOI (Communications and Electronic Operating Instructions) for NITRO operators to use if it was TEOTWAWKI. I have a copy of it stashed away somewhere (I am a packrat). I will see if I can find a copy of it. It is only hardcopy though. I will have to transcribe it (or OCR it) into computer format.
T/D
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Trident/Delta ![]() Senior Advisor Group ![]() ![]() Joined: March 15 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 344 |
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Quick exam[ple of what I am talking about:
AMATEUR RADIO "Q-SIGNALS"
QNA Answer in prearranged order. QNC All net stations copy. QND Net is directed. QNE Entire net stand by. QNF Net is free. QNG Take over as net control station. QNI Net stations report in. QNM You are QRMing the net. QNN Net control station is [call sign]. QNO Station is leaving the net. QNP Unable to copy you. QNS Following stations are in the net. QNT I request permission to leave the net. QNU The net has traffic for you. QNX You are excused from the net QNY Shift to another frequency. QNZ Zero beat your signal with mine. QRG Will you tell me my exact frequency? QRH Does my frequency vary? QRJ Are you receiving me badly? QRK What is the intelligibility of my signals? QRL Are you busy? QRM Is my transmission being interfered with? QRN Are you troubled by static? QRO Shall I increase power? QRP Shall I decrease power? QRQ Shall I send faster? QRS Shall I send more slowly? QRT Shall I stop sending? QRU Have you anything for me? QRV Are you ready? QRX When will you call me again? QRY What is my turn? QRZ Who is calling me? QSA What is the strength of my signals? QSB Are my signals fading? QSD Is my keying defective? QSG Shall I send messages? QSK Can you hear between your signals? QSL Can you acknowledge receipt? QSM Shall I repeat the last message? QSN Did you hear me? QSO Can you communicate with me? QSP Will you relay? QST General call preceding a message. QSU Shall I send or reply on this frequency? QSW Will you send on this frequency? QSX Will you listen? QSY Shall I change frequency? QSZ Shall I send each word more than once? QTA Shall I cancel message? QTB Do you agree with my counting of words? QTC How many messages have you to send? QTH What is your location? QTR What is the correct time? T/D
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Trident/Delta ![]() Senior Advisor Group ![]() ![]() Joined: March 15 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 344 |
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Trident/Delta ![]() Senior Advisor Group ![]() ![]() Joined: March 15 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 344 |
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Carpe Diem ![]() advanced Member ![]() Joined: March 21 2006 Status: Offline Points: 1 |
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Hi Justme...
I just ordered a "Solio" solar-powered cell phone charger.
It has a good review here: http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-11288_7-6427792-3.html?tag=arw (The "crank" style chargers did not fare as well.)
I`ll now find out firsthand how good (or not good) it really is.
Best wishes!
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maskman ![]() Valued Member ![]() ![]() Joined: March 24 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 71 |
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thank you everyone for the excellent information i now know everything i need, within 24 hours, thanks to your help.
and now this info is here for all the world to see, for anyone to access
the true power of the internet
just my 2 cents here:
if it gets to the point where i need to listen in, for fear of my own safety, i do NOT want to be transmitting. i might have a transmitter on hand, but it would be for the great rebuilding, the new society, the time when i can walk down to the town square with it under my arm, and sit there and wait for someone who knows how to use it to show up, and together we can all figure out how to use whatever we have left. that is the future i am prepping for, and i will have the resources on hand that i will need, even if i don't have the transmitter. i have the receiver. i will know how to find the transmitter if i think i need to. i will be in control of the situation, to the best of my ability.
that is the future i am planning for
WHAT ARE YOU GETTING READY FOR?
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hope and pray for the best; prepare responsibly for the worst
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maskman ![]() Guest Group ![]() |
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just a quick update on my research and experiences
target had nothing is store i could find easily
best buy only has them online
radio shack seems to be the answer, which is what i initially expected anyway
seems that the pro-94 and pro-97 will both meet my needs
pro - 97 is my first choice, at least for now
i will report back after i get back this afternoon
there is a wal-mart next door, just in case, but i never did like going inside walmart, esp. when it's crowded
walmart has been a great resource to our family these last 2 weeks
i still avoid it like the plague, so to speak
i remember after katrina, when the gas stations started to close here a few days later, a friend of mine described the mad rush to get the last gas
it was like walmart at christmas, she said
that says it all. i always follow the weather, i respect it immensly
i had my gas topped off already, and i waited an extra day - the wife didn't think that we really needed to do it at all. i tried to tell her otherwise; i explained my reasoning to her. she pointed out that we still had half a tank, so i bit my tounge and agreed with her.
when gas went up 10 cents overnight, all she had to do was see the sign at the gas station. i didn't even have to point it out to her. she noticed the price, and she was pulling into the station to top off without me saying another word. she is smart. i know that. and we still didn't have to wait in line.
i would never have let it go that far.
thanks again for all the help
end transmission
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maskman ![]() Guest Group ![]() |
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i got the pro-97 on sale!
$50 off - got the rechargable batteries too, for an extra $20
it will work on regular AA batteries as well, just in case. still in the box, but i am happy
very happy
for lots of different reasons
but that is just me
thanks again to everyone who helped!
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bleva2 ![]() Valued Member ![]() Joined: March 27 2006 Status: Offline Points: 11 |
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The people who run this board might want to query all the members to find out who is a HAM. HAMs have experience organizing communications such as weather nets when sever weather is coming upon a county. HAM radios can also transmit packets. In other words, they can become a wireless network. I would suggest that HAMs form a group and start practicing relaying communications via this group.
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detpat ![]() Senior Advisor Group ![]() ![]() Location: Pennsylvania Joined: March 02 2006 Location: pgh pa Status: Offline Points: 367 |
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radio shack has gmrs radios on sale, clearance, for $29 including batteries and dual slot desktop chargers.
pat |
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never underestimate the power of human stupidity
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MercutioATC ![]() advanced Member ![]() Joined: April 25 2006 Status: Offline Points: 25 |
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Please, do NOT do this! I'm an air traffic controller and we currently get CB interference from an illegal CB transmitter on one of our ATC frequencies. Apparently, the CB frequency is something like the 5th harmonic of our ATC frequency and it interferes with our ability to talk to airplanes at times. The FCC has a REASON for the rules they post. |
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Mississipp Mama ![]() Senior Advisor Group ![]() Joined: January 20 2006 Status: Offline Points: 524 |
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Hi everyone, I am taking a ham radio class. It is being offered free at the Mormon Church in my area. I have six weeks left. I hope i have enough time to finish and take my eaxm.
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*** CAUTION ***
Communications in a pandemic (declared disaster) may not work as expected- Internet access: may not be working after 3-4 days (saturated, maintenance issues at ISPs, capacity commandeered!) GMRS/FRS Walkie Talkies: 2-3 mile range (need batteries) - need to work out a link to ham radio RACES operator in advance. Best for neighborhood use/support. GMRS radios require FCC license ($80, no exam). FRS does not seem to need license, but has reduced power (range). GMRS would probably have to be operated on low power, anyway, to conserve batteries. Telephone: lines probably not available (much capacity commandeered!) May offer spotty service at best. Cell Phones: failed quickly in 9/11 disaster (after 15 - 30 minutes!) Local "gummint" has the switch, too. Consider it commandeered! Text Messaging: was partially effective in Katrina disaster, uncertain status in pandemic situation. Ham radio: may well be limited to RACES operators by law, but probably working to some extent, may also be limited by such law to emergency traffic only. Possible availability for welfare traffic (family member status, etc.). My recommendations: (1) Take CERT training (posted this elsewhere, also). (2) Form a CERT team in your neighborhood. (3) Get FRS/GMRS radios - buy and learn to use them with your neighbors. (4) Locate ham radio RACES operator (only for emergencies) He/she can listen on your FRS/GMRS frequencies but cannot speak on them legally. However, he/she may have licensed FRS/GMRS radio, also. Many do. (5) Practice communicating with your ham operator. He/she may have a path to local Emergency Services (police, fire, medical, etc.). (6) Work out contact schedules ("skeds") to conserve batteries and time. (7) Be sure you have enough batteries. |
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More on radios:
There are various qualities of GMRS/FRS handheld radios. General purpose consumer grade radios with 22 channels sell for under $40. Better quality radios are available at ham radio stores for about $160. The latter have greater range and use rechargable batteries. Note 1: Check actual frequencies in instruction manual. Channel numbers may not correspond between cheap FRS radios and good GMRS/FRS designs. Note 2: There are some frequency (channel) limitations in certain regions. Check these for legal operation. Note 3: Remember to register and get your FCC license for the GMRS radios, which send out high (above 0.5 Watts) power. |
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